The UK government has launched a consultation on a proposed £190 million Strategic Charging Infrastructure (SCI) scheme aimed at increasing electricity grid capacity at selected motorway service areas to support the expansion of ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging.
The proposal targets a limited number of motorway service areas where the cost of upgrading electricity connections has discouraged private investment.
Scheme Focuses on Grid Capacity
If introduced, the SCI program would replace the previous £70 million Rapid Charging Fund pilot launched in 2023, which concluded without awarding funding after motorway service operators declined to participate under its grant conditions.
Under the new proposal, the government would contract directly with electricity network connection providers to finance grid upgrades at selected sites.
The additional network capacity would then be made available to EV charge point operators at subsidized rates, reducing one of the major barriers to installing high-power charging infrastructure along England’s motorway network.
According to the Department for Transport, the scheme is intended to ensure participating motorway service areas have sufficient electricity capacity by 2030 to meet expected EV charging demand through 2035 and beyond.
Targeting High-Cost Locations
Funding would be limited to existing motorway service areas in England and would not extend to major A-road locations.
Site selection is expected to prioritize locations where projected electricity demand significantly exceeds existing grid capacity and where connection costs are considered commercially unviable.
The Department for Transport said a small number of motorway service areas continue to face particularly high electricity upgrade costs.
“There is a minority of MSAs at which the cost of grid capacity to meet demand is still not commercially viable. These high costs at some sites are the principal barrier to achieving a comprehensive network of EV charging across the motorway network.”
The department added:
“The scheme will support the development of a strong open-access EV charging offer across the motorway network by removing electricity upgrade costs as a barrier to EV charging provision at a subset of impacted MSAs in England. Government will do this by strengthening electricity networks to selected MSAs where costs are uncommercial. The resulting network capacity will then be available to industry at a subsidised, commercially viable price.”
Consultation Open Until July 28
The government said the consultation will remain open until July 28, 2026, inviting feedback from industry participants, infrastructure providers, and other stakeholders.
The proposal supports the UK’s broader objective of expanding the country’s public electric vehicle charging network to 300,000 charging points by 2030.
